No One Left to Tell (38 page)

Eventually they’d stopped the meds. She hadn’t been mentally ill. But her mind had been fractured, Theopolis had said, through trauma. She needed to be glued back together. The glue had failed.
I’m falling apart
.

Carefully Adele opened the box that had remained closed since the day it was given to her. She stared at the contents for long, long minutes as she remembered that day. She’d gotten good at locking the memory away, but every now and then it escaped, roaring to life with a vengeance that left her shaken.

Someone is trying to kill you
. The words whispered through her mind, sifting through the panic that clawed at the thought of Darren taking Allie away.

She lifted the little medallion from the box. ‘I’m a Mac,’ she whispered. ‘Loud and Proud.’ It had started as the best day in her life. It had ended as the worst. Until today.

Someone is trying to kill you
. Darren had believed her. Maybe someone else would too. Maybe it was finally time to tell.

Wednesday, April 6, 7.35
P.M
.

Paige glanced at Grayson as he drove. He was talking to Stevie Mazzetti who’d gotten the court order for Radcliffe’s video. Mazzetti and her partner were trying to track Radcliffe down to execute the order.

‘Somebody should attack me,’ Paige muttered. ‘Radcliffe would be right there.’

Grayson shot her a that’s-not-funny look before going back to his conversation with the detective, leaving Paige to her laptop screen.

Which did have a browser window in which she’d typed
Winston Heights 1973
. Which she’d get back to in a minute. She’d been running another search earlier, as they’d driven from Betsy’s to talk to Rex. The results had just popped up as Grayson stopped in front of the McClouds’ building so she hadn’t reviewed the information.

She did so now, toggling to the background search on
Judy Smith
. She’d heard Lisa’s husband call Grayson’s mother by name the day before. Handy, as a search on
Grayson’s mother
would probably not have yielded much. Unfortunately, neither did the search on Judy Smith. Grayson’s mother was very low profile. She’d lived at the same address for twenty-eight years. Grayson was thirty-five. She knew that from one of the articles she’d pulled before Elena was killed.

That meant Judy had lived over the Carters’ garage since the time the picture under the palm trees was taken. A search on palm trees revealed Florida to be the only mainland state where coconut-bearing palms grew. Specifically, the southernmost tip.
Miami
.

Here goes nothing
, she thought and typed
St Ignatius-Teacher-Miami
along with the year Judy Smith had moved above the Carters’ garage and the two years preceding. It was all she had.

But her finger hesitated, hovering over the
submit search
button. It was an invasion of privacy. Grayson hadn’t wanted her to see that photo. It had been hidden.

Yet she had seen it, through no nefarious intent of her own. She’d made the decision to start the search based on a simple question.

When did you become wonderful?

She wanted this man. Not only for sex, although her body was primed and ready because he was totally magnificent and it had been so long. But she also liked him. Admired him. Respected him. That wasn’t a combination she’d found in a long time.

She sensed that he wanted more, too. But it wouldn’t happen if she walked away, which she’d have to do soon or risk falling into bed with him.

So just do it
. She held her breath and hit
submit search. Let’s see what pops up
.

What popped up was . . . more than she’d hoped to find. Paige glanced over at Grayson, who was on the phone with Stevie, his eyes firmly on the road. He was deep in conversation, telling Stevie about what had just happened with Rex and his grandparents. For the moment he wasn’t paying any attention to Paige.

Later. Do this later
. But she could not bring herself to turn away. The picture that filled her screen compelled her to look. To read on. To understand.

Her search had returned a grainy newspaper photo of Judy Smith, the same age as she’d been in the school picture. But her eyes were haunted, her face drawn. There was no sign of the happiness she’d shown the day under the palm trees. Whatever had happened, had happened.

Paige scrolled down to the headline –
ST IGNATIUS TEACHER AND SON DISAPPEARED, PRESUMED DEAD
. Her heart began to beat, hard and fast as she read. And read.

And then she understood.
Oh, God
. She understood.

Oh, Grayson
. He’d lived with this . . .
this
, all these years.
He was just a little boy
. She continued to stare at the screen, her heart breaking.

The car stopped. ‘Paige?’

Oh God
. She understood why he couldn’t risk telling anyone.
Anyone
.

‘Paige?’ He grasped her shoulder, massaging gently. ‘We’re at the restaurant.’

She closed the laptop, making her expression as blank as possible, steeling herself not to give anything away. ‘I’m ready.’

He tilted her chin, swept his thumb over her lip. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

She searched frantically for something to say. ‘An article on Elena’s death. I . . . It all came back.’ She wanted to wince at the lie, but she was numb. ‘Let me put on my lipstick.’ She actually managed to get the lipstick on her lips, even though her hands wanted to shake.

‘You don’t need lipstick.’ He touched her face with a gentleness that broke her heart even more. ‘You’re beautiful the way you are.’

She closed her eyes. Tried to calm herself, but she trembled. ‘Thank you.’

His hand slipped beneath her hair, gently massaging her neck. ‘My mother won’t bite you,’ he said. ‘You don’t have to be afraid of her.’

She let him touch her, let the comfort he didn’t know he was giving seep in. ‘We should go. I don’t want to keep her waiting.’

Wednesday, April 6, 7.55
P.M
.

Grayson hadn’t expected Paige to be so nervous. Then again, meeting a man’s mother did seem like a big deal. He got out of the car, told the waiting valet to leave his car as he wouldn’t be staying long, then helped Paige to her feet.

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. She was still pale. ‘You’re not staying?’

‘I’m going home to walk Peabody, remember? I’ll be back soon.’

‘Peabody can wait a little while. Just stay here. Please.’

Her plea squeezed at his heart, but he had things he needed to do. He and his mother had arranged this when he’d called her from the hotel, right after Anderson had dropped his bomb. ‘We may not have time to walk him after dinner. We have to get to the nursing home in time for Brittany’s shift.’

‘Oh. Right.’ She nodded unsteadily as he walked her under the awning. She seemed dazed and he frowned, a little worried.

‘Are you okay?’

She looked up, uncertain. ‘Yes. Of course.’

He threaded his fingers through her hair, cradling her head in his palm. ‘Relax. She’s going to like you. And I won’t be long. I promise.’

He brushed his lips gently over hers, calming her. She shuddered and lifted on her toes, following him, continuing the kiss when he would have pulled away. Forgetting where he stood, he threaded his other hand through her hair and took control, tilting her face so that their mouths fit. Perfectly. She fit him perfectly.

‘Grayson?’

The familiar voice cut through the fog and he broke the kiss, lifting his head only enough to see Paige’s face. Her eyes were closed. Her lips beautifully plumped. Her cheek a little red from the burn of his five o’clock shadow. He kissed that too, running his lips over her skin. She was warm and smelled so good.
Mine. All mine
.

‘
Grayson!
’

He jerked away. His mother stood behind Paige, looking both amused and exasperated. ‘Mom?’

‘Mom?’ It came out of Paige’s mouth in a squeak and she whirled, hitting him with her backpack. ‘Oh sh—’ She cut herself off, pursing her lips, her cheeks blushing a deeper red.

Grayson’s mother extended her hand, lips curving. ‘You’re Paige. I’m Judy.’

‘I’m sorry,’ Paige blurted, shaking his mother’s hand. ‘I . . . We just . . . Never mind.’

‘Don’t think a thing of it. I’m freshening my lipstick and what should I see?’ Her eyes twinkled. Oh, his mother was enjoying this
way
too much. ‘I’ve got a table, dear. Why don’t you sit and wait for me? I need to talk to Grayson for a moment, if you don’t mind.’

Paige shot him a nervous look over her shoulder. ‘I’ll just . . . go in. There.’

‘There’s someone waiting for you,’ his mother said to her. ‘Holly begged to come. I hope that’s okay.’

His mother was a goddess, he decided, because she’d not only solved a sticky situation for him, she’d also managed to put Paige at ease.

‘It’s totally okay,’ Paige said, visibly relieved. ‘I’ll go find her.’

He waited until she was gone. ‘Thank you,’ he said.

‘Uh-huh,’ his mother replied blandly. ‘She’s very pretty.’

He let out a breath. ‘Yes, she is.’

Her expression grew sober. ‘I figured I’d keep Holly with me while you talk to the family.’

‘It’s a good idea. They’ll want to decide how much to tell her. And how. And when.’

‘I should be there with you. This is my doing. My fault.’

He grasped her shoulders and squeezed lightly. ‘It’s your doing that we’re alive and well. You did what you needed to do to protect us. To protect me. And don’t think a day goes by that I don’t thank you for it, even if I don’t say the words.’

She drew an unsteady breath, her eyes glittering. ‘I can’t cry. I just put on mascara.’

He gave her his handkerchief, watched as she dabbed her eyes. ‘What I’m about to do, to say . . . This will change everything.’

‘I know,’ she said. ‘I told you not to be afraid to tell, just yesterday, but now that the moment’s come . . . I’m scared to death. Tell Katherine that if she wants me to move out of the apartment, I will. I’ve hated every day that I’ve lied to her.’

He knew the feeling. Still he shook his head. ‘She loves you like a sister. She’s not going to make you move. That apartment’s been your home for almost thirty years. Katherine would smack you for even suggesting it.’

‘I know. I just had to say it aloud. Though I have to tell you, if I ever get my hands on that boss of yours, I’ll be doing the smacking.’ Her eyes now snapped with rage. ‘He’d better never show his face. Blackmailing my son. Of all the outrageous things.’

‘Well, it’s a whole lot more than just us,’ he said. ‘He knew about other things. Things that could get him disbarred if I’m able to prove them.’
Hopefully more than disbarred. Hopefully
behind bars
for a long time
.

‘Then prove them. Son of a
bitch
,’ she muttered.

‘Mom. Language.’ He kissed her on the cheek. ‘Go on now. I’ll call you when I’m done to tell you how it went. Have a nice dinner. And sit away from the window.’

‘I already asked for a table where your Paige will be safe. You stay safe too.’

Wednesday, April 6, 8.01
P.M
.

Paige was escorted to a table where Holly sat, looking preoccupied. And worried.

‘Hi, Holly.’ Paige joined her, then covered the young woman’s hand with her own. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘I’m so glad to see you,’ Holly said urgently. She looked around. ‘Where is Judy?’

‘Outside, talking to Grayson. What’s up?’

‘Well, you know how yesterday you said you could teach me? You know, karate?’

‘Yes.’ Paige leaned closer. ‘What’s happened, Holly?’

‘I just need to learn. Fast. Now.’

‘Somebody bothering you, honey?’ Paige asked soberly.

Holly nodded. ‘There are these guys.’

A cold shiver snaked down Paige’s back. Women like Holly were even more vulnerable. ‘Where?’ she asked, keeping her voice calm. ‘And who?’

‘At my center. I go there after work, to see my friends. I went last night.’

‘Do these guys go to the center?’

‘Yes. They’re jerks,’ she said angrily.

‘Did they hurt you?’ Paige asked, heart sinking at the shadows that filled Holly’s eyes.

‘They push me. They . . . poke me. They grab, sometimes. You know.’

‘You know about sex, right?’ Paige asked, and Holly’s cheeks went pink.

‘Yes. But they didn’t do that. They talk about it though.’ Her mouth firmed. ‘A lot. They laugh and say what they’ll do if they get me alone. I used to have Johnny. He was my friend. He would make them stop.’

‘Oh,’ Paige murmured. ‘But he died, didn’t he?’

Holly nodded miserably. ‘He was my friend. He kept the bad ones away from me.’

‘Now you’re afraid.’

‘Yes. I want to be able to kick them and make them
stop
. Teach me. I can pay you. I have my own money.’ She frowned, worried again. ‘How much do you cost?’

Paige hated the thought of taking Holly’s money. Still, she understood about pride and Holly was entitled to hers. ‘You’ll be able to afford me, I promise you that. I need you to do something for me first, though. I need you to talk to your doctor and have him sign a paper that says you’re healthy enough to train.’

‘That’ll take days. I need to learn now, Paige.’

Paige smiled at her gently. ‘It’ll take years to learn.’

‘Years?’ Holly paled. ‘I don’t have years. I’m afraid
now
.’

‘We need to address that. Have you told the manager at the center?’

‘Yes,’ Holly said, tears forming in her eyes. ‘He talked to them. They said they were just playing around. But they’re not. He believed them. Not me.’